You’re Not Broken – You’re Human | Why the path to wholeness starts with embracing your imperfections
As it turns out, our healing might not be an endless quest to mend the things about ourselves we think are broken. Rather, it could be about creating space for all parts of ourselves, especially the ones we’ve been taught to hide or push away. At the heart of living authentically is the confrontation with grief and unprocessed emotions. And it is in the cultivation of true vulnerability in the face of this “yucky stuff” that we find the best opportunities for personal growth.
But how do we–especially men, who are often taught to suppress, deny and disown unwanted feelings–shift away from a life lived perpetually within a suit of protective emotional armor? How do we safeguard an existence that might truly allow for us to open up? The latest episode of Shaping Freedom features a mind-expanding conversation between Lisane Basquiat and Aaron Robinson, host of Opening Presence, a podcast about creative self-realization.
“Somatic practices like breathwork help us access and release emotional blocks stored in the body.”
Aaron is a somatic breathwork practitioner who has learned to listen to the language of the breath, which is often more revealing than the language of the mind. Unlike traditional talk therapy, which tends to intellectualize our struggles, somatic practices like breathwork help us access and release emotional blocks stored in the body. Focusing on the body's own wisdom, breathwork invites us to experience and move through emotions rather than simply analyze them, as Aaron states: “I think the catalyst for feeling the emotions and de-intellectualizing our narratives and…allowing ourselves to express those suppressed emotions is somatic breathwork.”
Many of us mislabel the daily heaviness we feel as “stress” or “burnout,” but what if that weight is unprocessed grief or deeper emotional pain that we’ve avoided? The discomfort that arises from facing these emotions is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of humanity. But real healing doesn’t happen by bypassing the uncomfortable. And, in fact, the path to wholeness demands that we lean fully and intentionally into our discomfort. Aaron is adamant that we must reprioritize our lives to make space for the deeper work necessary to heal and evolve, asking, “What are you willing to let go of or reprioritize or arrange things to create space for intentional time for self?"
“The journey toward healing is not linear, nor is it ever truly complete.”
For many, particularly men, vulnerability is a challenging terrain to navigate alone. The cultural conditioning that teaches men to be stoic and self-reliant has stunted the ability to feel and express emotions fully. However, the rise of intentional spaces where men can safely release grief, anger, and frustration without judgment is beginning to rewrite this narrative. Vulnerability isn’t just a personal act—it’s a communal one. By allowing ourselves to be seen in our raw, unfiltered states, we give others permission to do the same, creating a ripple effect that deepens collective healing.
The journey toward healing is not linear, nor is it ever truly complete. But as we learn to hold space for our own grief and unpleasant emotions, rather than trying to “fix” what was never truly broken, we make it easier for others to do the same.
TL;DR (Too Long Didn’t Read)
Authenticity requires facing unprocessed grief and emotions rather than bypassing discomfort.
Somatic practices, like breathwork, help us release stored emotional blocks and move beyond intellectualizing our struggles.
Vulnerability is a communal act, and creating spaces for emotional expression is key to dismantling harmful societal norms.
Healing is an ongoing practice of showing up fully, embracing both our imperfections and our strengths.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Aaron Robinson: Learn more about Aaron’s journey.
Opening Presence: Check out Aaron’s podcast.
Listen to Aaron and Lisane on the Shaping Freedom podcast.